MLB Power Rankings Update: Too Early Wildcard Picture

American League Wildcard Picture

It might be too early to start thinking about the impending wildcard races, but because we have some math to help us out, why not look anyway?

In the American league, there is just one game separating the Yankees from the Blue Jays and Rays for the top two wildcard spots. And it's only another 5.5 games back to the teams at the bottom of the barrel -- the Red Sox, Mariners, A's and White Sox.

Our numbers actually think the Blue Jays will come out of the American League as the winners of the East, putting the Yankees (50%) and Orioles (49.9%) as the top two teams in the wildcard spot at the moment. It's pretty close though at the top of the race as the Angels (42.2%) are the first non-East team to enter the discussion, and the Rays are right behind all three teams (40.8%).

The Rangers, Tigers and Twins are the next group bunched together as there is only 1.2% difference in each of their chances to make the playoffs. The Twins have the better record currently, but all three will need help to move up the standings.

The oddball teams are the Indians and the Athletics. The A's happen to be the fourth best team in our rankings (0.92 nERD) while the Indians are 13th (0.23), yet both teams may be the best to not make the playoffs -- both don't even have more than a 20% chance to land a wildcard spot. The Mariners, Red Sox and White Sox round out the end of the list, and none have more than an 8% chance to make the playoffs currently.